Braves Chart of the Day: July 21, 2009

Derek Lowe has been alarmingly inconsistent this year, so much so that you could make a legitimite case for him as the worst member of the Braves’ current rotation. He hasn’t been able to locate his sinker half the time, and as you’re probably aware, that’s a big part of his game.

Unlike some pitchers, his arsenal has fluctuated dramatically from year to year. He used to throw even more sinkers, and some years he’s used a changeup more than others. Last year, his slider was remarkably effective (+29 runs), and this year, it hasn’t been (-3.5).

Today’s inspiration was a simple question I had about how often he uses the sinker, but now I think I have more questions about his pitches than I have answers. I may look at Lowe a little closer in the future.